Body grounding device



Aug. 5, 19 69 w. GQLEGGE v 3,459,997

BODY GROUNDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1967 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Walter .Le IBYQDMV Q Aug. 5,1969 w. G. LEGGE v 3,459,997

BODY GROUNDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,459,997 BODY GROUNDING DEVICE Walter G. Legge, 1200 S. Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton, Fla. 33432 Filed Aug. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 660,699 Int. Cl. Hf 3/00 US. Cl. 3172 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A body grounding device for attachment to the wearers shoe. The device provides an elongated conductive strip extending under the shoe for its entire length. The fore part of the device provides an elastic toe strap secured between the strip and a folded back portion thereof so that the elastic strap does not directly contact the floor. Alternative means are provided for connecting the strip to a body contacting element.

This invention relates to electrical conductors and, in particular, to devices especially adapted to lead off to ground charges accumulating on the human body.

The invention contemplates a body grounding device composed of a single elongated strip of conductive material disposed under the shoe from the heel to toe and, in fact, extending over and doubling back over the toe with an elastic toe strap within the doubled-back portion of the strip, thereby preventing the strap from contacting the floor and possibly becoming ensnarled with objects on the floor. The tread member is held flat under the sole and heel of the wearers shoe due to the provision of a conductive heel insert removably secured thereto. Alternately the heel insert may be replaced by a conductor leg band serving the same end. The safety of the wearer of the device in the improved form is thus better assured.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved body grounding device which is economical to produce and safe to wear.

Another object is to provide such a device affording maximum contact between the conductive portions of the device and the floor.

Other objects and advantages as a consequence of this invention may be appreciated on reading the following detailed description of one of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the improved body grounding device with a conductive leg garter as the body contactor; and

FIG. 2 shows the device having a conductive heel insert member serving as the body contactor;

FIG. 3 shows a modified form of invention.

Referring to the drawings, the body grounding device comprises an elongated member having a folded-over toe portion 8, a counter portion 9 and a tread member 10 extending from the toe portion to the counter portion. The strip is preferably fabricated of resilient material and impregnated with conductive material such as graphite or carbon and which by reason of its resiliency is comfortable to wear. The member is afiixed to the shoe S of the wearer.

A toe strap 12 is sewn to the bottom surfaces of the portion 8 at the end thereof and the top surface of the tread 3,459,997 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 can be attached by snap button connection, an elastic leg band 18 having a conductive plate 20 in contact with the wearers leg for picking up electro-static charges and discharging them through cable 19 to the counter and tread portions of the device.

' An elastic strip 22 is disposed about the counted portion 9 and is attached to the toe strap 12 atop the users shoe, the counter portion thus providing support for these portions of the device while being worn. The strap also serves to keep the tread member flat against the underside of the shoe for its entire length thus assuring maximum floor contact while in use.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 3, a strip of material 24 attached to the toe strap 12 extends upwardly and rearwardly terminating in a loop 26 Counter strap component 28 is passed through the loop and secured to strap component 28a by buckle 30. The components 28 and 28a are actually integral elements of a continuous strap which is intermediately attached to the counter portion 9. The two components may be fabricated of Velcro tape thus eliminating the need for a buckle connection.

I claim:

1. In a body grounding device: an elongated conductive strip, one end of said strip being adapted to be disposed over the counter of a shoe, the other end of said strip being doubled back on its self and adapted to fit over the toe of a shoe, the intermediate portion of the conductive strip between the counter portion and the toe portion extending the entire length of the shoe, an elastic toe strap secured to opposing surfaces of the doubled back portion and said intermediate portion of the strip, and strap means for connecting said counter and doubled back portions whereby said intermediate strip can be drawn taut for maximum floor contact.

2. In a body grounding device as defined in claim 1, said strap means being provided with adjustment means to insure the tautness of said intermediate portion for various size shoes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,940,491 12/ 1933 Freitag. 2,287,744 6/ 1942 Monahan. 2,701,323 2/1955 Lewis et a1. 2,745,041 5/ 1956 Price. 2,933,651 4/ 1960 Legge. 3,359,45 6 12/ 1967 De Woskin.

OTHER REFERENCES Conductive Stickons, published by Conductive Shoe Co. of West Hartford, Conn.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner 

